34 verses
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King! The Supreme Lord, praised by the devatās, appeared before them with the brilliance of a thousand rising suns.
The devatās were blinded by the Lord's effulgence. They could not see the sky, the directions, the land, nor even themselves, what to speak of the Lord.
tapta-hemāvadātena lasat-kauśeya-vāsasā prasanna-cāru-sarvāḍgīṁ sumukhīṁ sundara-bhruvam
mahā-maṇi-kirīṭena
keyūrābhyāṁ ca bhūṣitām
karṇābharaṇa-nirbhāta-
kapola-śrī-mukhāmbujām
kāñcīkalāpa-valaya-
hāra-nūpura-śobhitām
kaustubhābharaṇāṁ lakṣmīṁ
bibhratīṁ vana-mālinīm
sudarśanādibhiḥ svāstrair
mūrtimadbhir upāsitām
tuṣṭāva deva-pravaraḥ
saśarvaḥ puruṣaṁ param
sarvāmara-gaṇaiḥ sākaṁ
sarvāḍgair avaniṁ gataiḥ
Lord Brahmā along with Lord Śiva and all the devatās bowed to the Lord by prostrating themselves on the ground, offered prayers. The Lord had a shining, blackish body, His eyes were reddish like the center of a lotus, and his attractive limbs were dressed in garments the color of molten gold. He had a beautiful face and eyebrows. He was decorated with a jeweled crown and bracelets. The cheeks of his lotus face were lit by earrings. He had belts and arm bands, a necklace and anklets. He wore a garland and the Kaustubha jewel, and held Lakṣmī on his chest. He was worshipped by his weapons personified such as the cakra.
Brahmā offered prayers. The sentence continues for five verses. Avadhāta means yellow. His lotus face had cheeks which were lit by his earrings.
Brahmā said: I offer repeated respects to the Lord who has no destruction of his birth and actions, who is without material qualities but full of auspicious qualities as Bhagavān, who is Brahman full of the happiness of liberation, who is Paramātmā, smaller than an atom, and who has an immeasurable form which manifests himself by his acintya-śakti.
The Lord does not have a destruction of his birth and maintenance. This means that forms like Kṛṣṇa and Rāma have eternal birth and maintenance. That maintenance means that his forms perform activities, since no conscious being exists without action. However their actions are also eternal. The Lord is without material guṇas, without inferior qualities. Viṣṇu Purāṇa says he has all auspicious qualities. Bhagavān means that person endowed with six auspicious qualities. The Lord is also Brahman, an ocean of the happiness of nirvāṇa. He is also Paramātmā, smaller than the atom. His form is beyond measurement (aparigaṇya-dhamne). Therefore I offer respects to him. This implies that though normally a form has limits, his form manifests through his acintya-śakti.
O best of persons, O supreme director! Your form is always worthy of worship for those who desire the highest benefit through the Vedic and Pañcarātrika methods. I clearly see the three worlds in you, the form of the universe.
Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that Brahmā shows the Lords body is eternally manifest and full of power. This means the Lords form is eternal and immeasurable. One should see his explanation of this verse. O best person! That form is always to be worshiped by Vedic and Pañcarātrika methods (yogena), not just at the present moment You devatās are also famous as objects of worship. True, but they are all included in your worship. Oh (u)! It is clear (ha)! I see all of us and the three worlds in you, because you are the form of the universe. Thus your form, though limited, is unlimited.
This universe arises from you, rests upon you and ends in you who are fully independent. You are the beginning, sustenance and end of everything, like the earth, which is the cause of an earthen pot, which supports the pot, and to which the pot, when broken, finally returns. But you are different from prakṛti.
Brahmā explains how the Lord is the form of the universe. Just as the earth of the pot remains in the beginning, middle and end, you remain in the beginning, middle and end. But the transform of earth into a pot in the example is rejected. You are different from prakṛti (parasmāt). Prakṛti or pradhāna transforms into the universe, not you.
You, having created this universe by māyā which is dependent on you, enter into it. Those who concentrate their mind, who have discernment and know the conclusion of scriptures, see that you remain untouched by the guṇas, though the guṇas transform continually.
This means that prakṛti or pradhāna is the cause of the universe, not me, the Lord. Brahmā responds. You create this world by your śakti. Though you are different from it, because it is your śakti, non-different from you, it can be said that you create this universe, not the śakti. And then you enter into the universe and remain there. What is that māyā? It takes shelter of you (ātmāśrayayā). It is dependent on you. When the guṇas transform (guṇa-vyavāye), though you are in the universe, you remain devoid of the guṇas. People with concentrated minds see you in this way. These persons have discernment (manīṣiṇaḥ). Thus they are wise, knowing the conclusion of the scriptures. Those who do not see you in this way are not wise, are not discerning and not concentrated in mind. They are blind.
As one can derive fire from wood, milk from the cow, food grains and water from the land, and livelihood from endeavor, so, by the practice of bhakti-yoga, humans can realize you in the guṇas and by intelligence proclaim this.
How can people see me? Brahmā explains with examples. Humans attain you, who are beyond the guṇas, in this world made of guṇas by varieties of bhakti-yoga (yogaiḥ) and speak with you with intelligence given by you. You have said bhaktyāham ekayā grāyaḥ: I am only attained by bhakti-yoga. (SB 11.14.21) Fire appears in wood by rubbing. Just as one learns who to kindle fire from wood by instructions of a teacher, so one learns the process of bhakti with hearing and chanting from a guru. By that process one kindles the mind continuously, and then one can see you.
yasya svarūpaṁ kavayo vipaścito
guṇeṣu dāruṣv iva jāta-vedasam
mathnanti mathnā manasā didṛkṣavo
gūòhaṁ kriyārthair nama īritātmane
Just as a person churns fire from pieces of wood, learned persons and devotees, desiring to see you, make your form visible, which is invisible by performing karma and accepting its results. They do this by concentrating the mind on your name and form. I offer respects to the Lord whose nature has been described. SB 5.18.36
An example is given to show that if one has the help of devotees the process becomes easy. By milking the cow one obtains milk. If the calf first sucks the udder, the milk flows easily. An example illustrates the fact that one attains you by profusion of bhakti, which arises from a seed of bhakti from previous lives. This is like obtaining food by cultivating the earth with seeds. An example is given to show that if one has previous association with devotees, one attains strong bhakti, and by this obstacles disappear. Thus one can attain the Lord. By digging the earth, one removes the covering and obtains water. An example is given to show that those who have attained bhakti attain the Lord eternally simply by worship. By enthusiastically endeavoring in ones craft like singing or dancing one obtains a means of living.
O lotus-navel lord! O master! Having seen you, the long desired goal of life, who have directly appeared before us, we have all attained bliss today, just as elephants afflicted by a forest fire attain bliss in the water of the Gaḍgā.
We have become successful. O lord with a lotus navel! You are the object long desired, the final goal of life.
Please accomplish the purpose for which we, the protectors of all the planets, have come to your lotus feet. O soul within everything! What else can be informed to you, the witness of everything?
Please accomplish what we came for (yad arthāḥ). If you say, Please tell me clearly what you want then we say that you are the soul with all. You witness everything unlimitedly. What other thing can we inform to you?
What can I, Lord Śiva and all the devatās and Prajāpatis like Dakṣa, being like sparks of a fire, manifested separately, understand about our welfare? O Supreme Lord, please give us the means of deliverance for the brāhmaṇas and devatās.
You are not omniscient, but you are very intelligence and clever. So please tell the solution to this problem, so that even though you can do nothing, I can accomplish it. We are like sparks of a fire. Ketu means a spark or a flag, according to the dictionary. We are manifested from you with separate forms. We do not know what is best (śam) for us at all. Therefore you must do what is most beneficial. And teach a method for the brāhmaṇas and devatās. Let our intelligence and cleverness go to hell!
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When the Lord was thus offered prayers by the devatās headed by Lord Brahmā, the Lord, understanding their hearts, in a deep voice that resembled the rumbling of clouds, replied to the devatās who all stood there attentively with folded hands.
The Lord understood that they were requesting that the he give them a method of regaining Svarga. Saṁvṛta-sarvakārakān means all their senses were controlled.
Although the Supreme Lord, the master of the devatās, was capable of doing the activities of the devatās, he wanted to enjoy pastimes in churning the ocean, and therefore spoke as follows.
The Supreme Lord said: O Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva and other devatās! Please hear me with great attention, so that you will have good fortune.
As long as you are not flourishing, you should make a truce with the demons, who are now being favored by time.
As long as you do not have prosperity (abhavaḥ),1 make truce. When you are stronger, then you should fight.
O devas! To attain an important goal one may even have to make a truce with one's enemies. On attain ones goal, one should be like the snake and the mouse.
The Lord teaches nīti, proper conduct. A snake caught in a box first made truce with a mouse in order to get out, and then ate the mouse. You should also have the intention of killing the demons afterwards.
Immediately endeavor to produce nectar, which a person who is about to die may drink to become immortal.
Produce nectar which, on drinking, will make a dying person recover.
sahāyena mayā devā nirmanthadhvam atandritāḥ kleśa-bhājo bhaviṣyanti daityā yūyaṁ phala-grahāḥ
Cast all kinds of vegetables, grass, creepers and herbs into the ocean of milk. Then, with my help, making Mandara Mountain the churning rod and Vāsuki the rope, churn the ocean of milk with undiverted attention. The demons will be engaged in labor, but you will gain the actual result.
Churning the plants with the milk will produce a decoction which will be nectar. Netram means a rope. Do it with help from me. The result is described. You will attain the nectar and the demons will just put forth effort.
O devatās! Since all goals are accomplished by compromise and not by fighting, agree to whatever the demons desire.
O devas! Goals are not achieved by disagreement and quarrel, but by compromise.
You should not fear the poison known as kālakūṭa will be generated from the ocean of milk. And you should not be greedy, lusty and angry in relation to the products of churning the ocean.
Tu here means and. You should not be greedy for the jewels produced. You should not be anger when the demons take the jewels. You should not display lust for the best of women produced from the churning.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King! After advising the devatās in this way, the Supreme Lord, the master of the devatās, the best of all living entities, independent in his movement, disappeared.
Tesām īśvaraḥ means the lord of the devatās.
Then Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva, after offering their respects to the Lord, returned to their abodes. All the devatās then approached Mahārāja Bali.
Upeyuḥ means they approached.
Famous Mahārāja Bali, the king of the demons, knowing when to make peace and when to fight, seeing the devatās in a conciliatory mood, restrained his commanders who were ready to kill them.
Bali, seeing that the devatās had come without weapons and armor, forbade his commanders who were ready to kill them (jāta-kṣobhān). Ślokyaḥ means famous.
The devatās approached seated Bali, the son of Virocana, who had conquered everywhere, who was surrounded by the highest luxury, and who was protected by the commanders of the demons.
Bali had conquered all directions (jitāśeṣam).
After pleasing Bali Mahārāja with mild words, intelligent Indra submitted all the proposals instructed by Supreme Lord.
Bali assistants, headed by Śambara and Ariṣṭanemi, and all the other residents of Tripura, were also pleased with the proposals.
The proposals were pleasing to Bali and the others. They thought that they could take the nectar produced from the churning after defeating the devatās who were weak.
O chastiser of enemies! The devatās and the demons, becoming friends, made an agreement, and then put great effort into producing nectar.
Saṁvidam means an agreement. The dictionary called Ajaya says that saṁvit can mean battle, promise, conduct, a name, satisfaction, talk, a rule, an agreement or knowledge.
Thereafter, the demons and devatās, who were all very powerful and who had arms like iron rods, uprooted Mandara Mountain by their strength and, while shouting loudly, brought it toward the ocean of milk.
They had arms like parighas (iron weapons).
Because of conveying the great mountain for a long distance, Indra, Bali and the others became fatigued. Unable to carry the mountain further, helplessly, they gave up carrying it on the way.
The golden mountain, falling down, crushed many devatās and demons with its heavy weight.
The mountain is called kanaka acala, or golden mountain. Acala also means immovable. Because of the weight of the gold, the mountain could not be moved. Gold is heavier than stones.
The Supreme Lord, understanding that they were all discouraged, having broken arms, legs and shoulders, appeared there riding on Garuòa.
Babhūva means he made his appearance.
Observing that the demons and the devatās had been crushed by the falling mountain, the Lord rejuvenated them by his glance, so that they were fresh and without injuries.
The Lord very easily lifted the mountain with one hand and placed it on the back of Garuòa. He then went to the ocean of milk, surrounded by the devatās and demons.
Thereafter, Garuòa, the chief of birds, unloaded Mandara Mountain from his shoulder and placed it near the water. Dismissed by the Lord, he left.
The Lord ordered Garuòa to go elsewhere, since Vāsuki, a snake, would not come there while Garuòa was present.
Thus ends the commentary on the Sixth Chapter of the Eighth Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas.
The sixth chapter describes how the Lord appears, Brahmā praises him and on the Lords advice, the devatās approach Bali for producing nectar.